Surface cleaning apparatus including a removable brushroll drive train

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus ( 10 ) includes a cleaning head ( 12 ) including housing, a brushroll ( 22 ) mounted in the housing, a motor ( 54 ) mounted in the housing, and a drive train ( 52 ) removably coupled to the housing. The housing includes a sidewall. The motor includes a motor shaft. The drive train includes a panel ( 100 ) removably coupled to the housing, a first coupler ( 102 ) mounted on the panel such that the first coupler is rotatable relative to the panel, a second coupler ( 106 ) mounted on the panel such that the second coupler is rotatable relative to the panel; and a belt extending between the first coupler and the second coupler to transmit rotation between the first coupler and the second coupler. When the drive train is coupled to the housing rotation of the motor shaft is transmitted through the drive train to the brushroll.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
 a body including a handle configured to be engaged by a user;   a cleaning head connected to the body, the cleaning head including:
 a housing with a bottom wall facing a surface to be cleaned, a top wall spaced above the bottom wall, and a sidewall extending between the bottom wall and the top wall; 
 a brushroll mounted in the housing such that the brushroll is rotatable relative to the housing about a brushroll axis; 
 a motor mounted in the housing, the motor including a motor shaft and the motor operable to rotate the motor shaft relative to the housing about a motor axis; and 
 a drive train removably coupled to the housing, the drive train including:
 a panel removably coupled to the housing; 
 a first coupler mounted on the panel such that the first coupler is rotatable relative to the panel; 
 a second coupler mounted on the panel such that the second coupler is rotatable relative to the panel; and 
 a belt extending between the first coupler and the second coupler to transmit rotation between the first coupler and the second coupler; 
 wherein when the panel is removed from the housing, the first coupler, the second coupler, and the belt are carried with the panel; 
 
 wherein when the drive train is coupled to the housing, the first coupler is coupled to the motor shaft to rotate therewith, and the second coupler is coupled to the brushroll to rotate therewith, such that rotation of the motor shaft is transmitted through the drive train to the brushroll. 
   
     
     
         2 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the motor axis and the brushroll axis are parallel and spaced from each other. 
     
     
         3 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the motor shaft includes a motor coupler engaging the first coupler to transmit rotation from the motor to the first coupler. 
     
     
         4 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the motor coupler includes a projection, and the first coupler includes a recess shaped to receive the projection to fix the first coupler for corotation with the motor coupler. 
     
     
         5 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall includes an opening and the brushroll is mounted to at least partially extend through the opening toward the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
         6 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the brushroll includes a projection, and wherein the second coupler includes a recess shaped to receive the projection to fix the brushroll for corotation with the second coupler. 
     
     
         7 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the brushroll includes a roller body extending between a first end and a second end along the brushroll axis, and an adapter coupled to the first end of the roller body, the adapter including the projection. 
     
     
         8 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the roller body includes a roller recess positioned at the first end, and the adapter engages the roller recess such that the adapter is supported for rotation about the brushroll axis. 
     
     
         9 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the adapter is supported by a bracket for rotation about the brushroll axis, and wherein the bracket is non-rotatably connected to the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the bracket is removable with the drive train. 
     
     
         11 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the bracket extends between the housing and the panel when the drive train is coupled to the housing. 
     
     
         12 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the second coupler includes a projection and the brushroll includes a recess shaped to receive the projection to fix the brushroll for corotation with the second coupler. 
     
     
         13 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall defines an opening, wherein the drive train is removably positioned in the opening such that the panel forms an external surface of the sidewall. 
     
     
         14 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the panel includes an opening, and the drive train is removably secured to the housing by a fastener extending through the opening such that the panel is fixed relative to the housing. 
     
     
         15 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first coupler rotates relative to the housing about the motor axis. 
     
     
         16 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the second coupler rotates relative to the housing about the brushroll axis. 
     
     
         17 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein when the drive train is removed from the housing, the brushroll and the motor remain within the housing. 
     
     
         18 . A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
 a body having a handle; and   a cleaning head connected to the body, the cleaning head including:
 a housing including an opening and defining a cavity that is accessible through the opening; 
 a brushroll mounted in the housing for rotation relative to the housing about a brushroll axis, the brushroll having an end disposed in the cavity; 
 a motor mounted in the housing, the motor including a motor shaft configured to rotate relative to the housing about a motor axis, the motor shaft having an end disposed in the cavity; and 
 a drive train removably coupled to the housing, such that when the drive train is in a coupled position the drive train drivingly connects the end of the motor shaft to the end of the brushroll; 
 wherein in the coupled position the drive train transmits rotation from the motor to the brushroll. 
   
     
     
         19 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the drive train includes:
 a panel removably coupled to the housing;   a first coupler mounted on the panel for rotation relative to the panel, the first coupler releasably connectable to the motor;   a second coupler mounted on the panel for rotation relative to the panel, the second coupler releasably connectable to the brushroll; and   a belt mounted between the first coupler and the second coupler, wherein the belt transmits rotation between the first coupler and the second coupler.   
     
     
         20 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein when the drive train is in the coupled position, the first coupler, the second coupler, and the belt are positioned within the cavity, and when the drive train is in an uncoupled position, the first coupler the second coupler, and the belt are carried with the panel outside the cavity as an assembly. 
     
     
         21 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein when the drive train is in the coupled position the first coupler is rotatable about the motor axis and engages the motor shaft to rotate therewith. 
     
     
         22 . The surface cleaning apparatus of according to  claim 18 , wherein when the drive train is in the coupled position the second coupler is rotatable about the brushroll axis and engages the brushroll to rotate therewith. 
     
     
         23 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the motor shaft includes a motor coupler disposed in the cavity, and wherein the brushroll includes a brushroll drive disposed in the cavity, and wherein in the coupled position the first coupler is configured to engage the motor coupler and the second coupler is configured to engage the brushroll drive. 
     
     
         24 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the brushroll drive includes a roller recess. 
     
     
         25 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the motor coupler includes a shaped projection. 
     
     
         26 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the brushroll drive includes a drive projection. 
     
     
         27 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein brushroll includes a brushroll drive disposed in the cavity and the drive train includes an adapter configured to engage the brushroll drive and the second coupler to transfer rotation from the second coupler to the brushroll drive. 
     
     
         28 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the adapter is removable with the drive train. 
     
     
         29 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the adapter includes a bracket and a shaft, and the shaft is supported for rotation about the brushroll axis. 
     
     
         30 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein when the drive train is in the coupled position the bracket is non-rotatably connected to the housing and the bracket extends between the panel and the housing. 
     
     
         31 . The surface cleaning apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein when the drive train is in the coupled position the drive train is received in the opening and prevents access to the cavity through the wall, and when the drive train is in an uncoupled position the cavity is accessible through the opening in the wall.